Piano player



Aug. 12, 1924. 1,504,531

H. THoMsON ET AL PIANO PLAYER Filed Nov. 18, 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 WTE OYSTON Aug. 12 1924ra H. THOMSON ET L PIANO PLAYER Filed Nov. 18 1920 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 /NvEN flows: H. THo M 50N N W, T H S W Y Aug.

H. THOMSDN ET L PIANO PLAYER Filed NOV. 1B 1920 5 SheeiS-Sheet 5 i N vm Tons.

WROYSTON By' Patented ug. l2, lg3d.

UNITED STATES laitilllil PATENT FFICE..

HENRY TBOTJSGN, F PERTH, VIESTEJNELUSTRALIA, AND WILLIAM E. OYSTON, OF

KENSTIGLON,l NELB, SYDNEY, SOUTH 'FIALES, AUSTRALIA; SAD OYSGN AS- PAN EBAYER.

Application filed November To olle/17mm t may concern Be it known that we, HENRY THOMsoN, residing at Perth, in the State of lVestern Australia, Commonwealth of ustralia, and lViLLiAM ROBERT OrsToN, ref-siding at liensington, near Sydney, in the State of New South lWales, Commonwealth of australia, both subjects of the King of Great Eritain, have invented new and useful improvements in and Relating to Piano Players, of which the following is a speciiication.

rlhis invention relates to improvements in and relating to piano-players and refers more particularly to a pneumatic player taclnnent adapted to be applied to an ordinary piano without any structural alteration to the latter, and which may be readily placed in or out of action without interfer ing with the means for manually operating the instrument.

In applying known player apparatus to an existing piano it is customary to have the player actions and auxiliary mechanism built into the'frame of the instrument and arranged to operate the actions thereof. This usually necessitates the transportation of the piano to a workshop properly equippec to enable f the performance by skilled workmen of arseries of highly technical Operations. In addition it is generally necessary to radically alter the construction of the instrument requiring the exercise of exceptional skill to avoid deterioration of the piano considered as a manually 'playable instrument.

lt is customary in keyboard piano-player attachments or devices to employY lever actions for the purpose of transmitting to the key-strikers the motion derived from `ordinary pneumatics. rllhe use of the Ordinary perforated vroll system ot' player control necessitates the employment of a moderate pull in inches of vacuum which, however, is insutlicient Vto direct-ly operate vthe keystrikers.

It is an object of the invention to provide a pneumatic player of small compass adapted to be readily fitted to a piano with a minimum of skill without requiring structural alteration of the instrument and wherein the key-strikers are direct acting, dispensing with intervening levers or other known actions, and are operated by the creation of a vacuum at required points.

is, reso. serial No. 424,810.

Another object of the` invention is to provide in a piano-player improved means wherebj-,fv the key-strikers are operated by a vacuum system controlled with suitable valves by the admission of air through the slots of a music roll and wherein all the operatingl pneumatics are arranged in a sinrow. Foot-operated exhauster bellows maintain a constant vacuum in a vacuum chest which may be placed selectively by suitable valves in communication wits the colla asible pneumatics, thereby operating key-strikers attached to said nieumaties.

fr further object of the invention is to proA vide operating pneumatics of improved construction and each formed integrally as a unit with a control valve casing.

The invention further provides in pianoplayer improvements in exhauster bellows and in folding pedal operating mechanism.

lilith these and other objects in view the invention consists of the features of con struction, combination and arrangement hereinafter fully described, reference beingv had to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a view in front elevation of a piano .fitted with the player attachment, the latter being in its operative position.

Figure 2 illustrates in side elevation the player attachment operatively mounted on a piano and indicating by broken lines its inactive position.

Figure 3 is a plan, partly in section, of tubular supporting bracket.

Figure it is a side elevation of the tubular supl'aorting bracket and its locking devicesbroken lines indicating the positions coupied when the player attachment is placed into its inactive position beneath the keyboard of the pianoforte.

Figure 5 is a part front elevation of the tubular supporting bracket and its locking devices.

Figure G is a front elevation of the footl motor comprising vacuum and reservoir euhausters.

Figure 6 is a sectional front elevation of the foot-motor.

Figure 7 is a vertical cross-section taken on line t n; of Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of the footmotor and the operating folding pedals.

Figure 9 is a view in plan of the pedals and `pedal mechanism.

fin section, illustrating the vacuum chest,

Cil

portion of a pneumatic, control valve and key-striker.

Figure 16 is a view similar to Figure 15 but illustrating more particularly the arrangement of control valves in relation to the single row of pneumatics.

Figure 17 is a view in nlan illustrating the arrangement of pneumatics and their control valves.

Figure 18 is a view in plan olf a diaphragm cap seating with tube coupling.

Figure 19 is a perspective view ot a valve.

In these views pneumatic action-chest or casing 20 preferably constructed et wood of approved design and linish constructed and arranged to extend approximately the whole length of the keyboard of the piano.

Mounted in alignment and in a single row in the action chest are colla sible pneumatics 21 corresponding numerically to the keys or' the piano.

Pneumatics as commonly employed tor the purpose otoperating piano playing actions are ot the leat type and comprise plates hingedly attached together and connected by tiel-ible material such as sott leather. These constructions have the disadvantage ot being somewhat bulky and ot requiring considerable space to work in when the power required to be exerted is of any magnitude.

rlhe pneuniatics employed in this invention are ot small size and require only small working space7 whilst they are capable o't exerting suliicient power when the contained air is exhausted therefrom to operate directly upon the keys ot piano, thereby dispensing with lever mechanisms.

Each pneumatic comprises a stationary base plate 22 surmounted by two floating plates 28 and 24, the intervening spaces between said plates being enclosed by an envelope 25 ot animal membrane 'folded or creased so as to permit ot the two 'Heating plates collapsing close to the base plate 22 in concertina manner.

Strips 26 ot sott leather are atll-ed Ato the pnenmatics and prevent injury thereto by abrading actionl of the stems of attached key-strikers during the collapsing actions ot' the pneumatics.

Each of the key-strikers comprises a stem 27 of strip metal having its upper end bent inwardly whereby it is conveniently bent over and secured as by a screw 28 to the top tloating plate 211- o3t its operating pneumatic. The lower end or the stem 2"( passes through a slotted guide block 29 secured to the underside ot the base plate 22 ci the pneumatic and is bent inwardly and downwardly in order that the striking tip 30 oit resilient material secured thereto is positioned. in central relationship with its operating pneumatic.

The control valves associated with pneumatics employed in player-pianos are ordinarily constructed o'i separate entities and are built into specially designed and constructed casings.

lVe provide an operating pneumatic and control valve casing ot unitary construction. The base plate 22 oit cach pneumatic is ot light metal such as aluminium and is formed integrally with the valve casing 31. A n air passage 3L connects the interior oit the pneumatic 21 through the base plate with the interior or said valve casing. The latter is constructed with a tlangc 33 tor attachment as by means o't a screw 3l to thrcasing of the main vacuum chamber 36 located longitudinally in the action chest 20.

The valve casing 31 is cored or machil'ied out so as to torni two chambers 3T and 38 with a divisional wall having a central orifice 10. i

The upper chamber 3T has a detachable retaining cap 1-.1- having an air inlet The oritice 4l() in the wall 3.() tornxs a valve seat tor a valve 13 having a stem 4d extending into the lower chamber Slt?. Across this lower chamber 3&3 there is secured a Hex'ible diaphragm 415 ot' greater diameter than that ot' said valve 43.

Detachably fastened by a valve casing 31 below the a diaphragm cap seating -fa formed a shallow recess 4.-.7. An outlet passage 4-8 is formed in said cap er ting so that said shallow recess coimnunio with nipple 49 to which is connected a flexible tracker tube 419 leading from one olf the air-ducts of the tracker-bar.

lllhe lower chamllfer in the valve casing is connected by an exhaust pa.` 5() to the main vacuum chainl'ier Se. A small vent or bleed hole 51 connects the passage -l-S with the exhaust passage 50 leading trom the lower chamber 38 o't the valve casing 'to the main vacuum chamber' 36 and a pin is adjustably fitted into said vent tor the purpose ot regulating' the area the leot.

This vent 51 is to enable the tracker tube 419 connected to the nipple it9 to be pneumatically exhausted. A slight suction is t screw to said diaphragm l5 is in which is thus created in the tracker tube srdhcien to exhaust the air therefrom 'when covered by the music sheet and prevent the operation ot the valve 135 but insuticient to enhaust it when uncovered by the music sheet.

lll)

This suction also tends to hold the music sheet in close contactwith the ti^acln ,1l.iai.

The constant suction exerted on the underside of the valve43 maintains the latter tirmly on its seat except at such times as a slot in the music sheetpasses over a duct in the tracker-bar, when an influx of air takes place and enters the recess 47 beneath the diaphragm 45. The diaphragm has an area greater than that of the underside of the valve 43, and in consequence the pressure of air, so admittech overcomes the outside air pressuie on the valve which is raised motion being conununicated thereto through the valve stem 44. rllhereupon the valve is raised from its seat closing the air inlet 42, when the contained air is exhausted from the pneumatic 21 through the passage 32, orifice and passage 50, the latter communicating with the vacuum chamber 3G.

Upon the exhaust of the contained air from the pneumatic 2l, the two floating plates 23 and 24 thereof are collapsed suddenly downwardly, causing the kev-Strilter 30 to strike a blow on a key of th. piano.

Then the duct in the tracker-bar is closed by a blank portion of the music sheet? the suction exerted on the underside of the diaphra gm and communicated thereto through the passage and the vent 5l draws the valve 43 back onto its seat thus opening` the air inlet 42 and admitting outside air into the pneumatic 2l through the passage 32 and expanding it in readiness for its next operation.

The operating pneumatics 21 for the keystrikers are constructed of a required width such as will permit of their arrangement in a single row within the action chest 2O and in such manner that when t-he player attachment is placed in its operative position said pneumatics are directly above the piano keys.

This feature is of special importance structurally and forv efficiency in operation. It permits the direct action of the strikers on the keys of the instrument without requiring the employment of combination of lever actions and to obtain blows of required force onto the keys, while there is obtained the additional advantage of economy of space in the action chest 207 thus enabling the player attachment to be constructed in a very compact and simple manner.

The valve casings 3l are of greater diameter than the width of the pneumatics 2l. as a consequence, the air passages 32 leading from alternate valve casings to the pneumatics are downwardly inclined from the latter as illustrated in Figure l5, while the air passages 32 leading from the intermediate valve casings are inclined upwardly from the base plates of the pneumatics as is illustrated inFigure 16.

Said valve casings of the one series are thus arranged at a higher level than those of the other or intermediate series, while all of said valve casings are positioned in centrally longitudinal alignment as is shown in Fig` ure 17, thereby facilitating the arrangement of operating pneumatics in a single row directly above the keys of the piano for the purposes described.

A spool box 53 is surmounted on the action chest 20 and it is provided with conventional equipment of spring-pressed supports for music roll, take-up roll, tracker bar and tracking device as ordinarily employed in the art.

At one end of said spool-box there is a casing 54 enclosing' spool-motor and rewind mechanism which may be of known construction, while expression controls 55 and tempo control 56 of standard construction are also provided.

Plates 57 are secured by means of screws to the underside of the keyboard. These plates are constructed with downwardly pro- `iecting lugs 58 in which are formed bearings 59. Pivotally mounted in said bearings are tubular trunnions GO and 61 formed on either side at the lower end of a bracket 62 adjustably supporting the action chest 20.

Brackets (i3 are suitably secured to the action chest 2O and have bearings G4 formed therein receiving tubular trunnions 65 and 66 formed on either side at the upper end of said supporting bracket 62.

This action-chest supporting bracket 62 is preferably of cast metal and of bent or curved formation. It is constructed with tubular passages 67 and 68 in uninterrupted communication with the trunnions and and with the trunnions Gl and G6, respectively.

The trunnions 60 and 6l are 'fitted with swivel couplings G9 of approved construction to which are connected tubes 70 communicating with the vacuum reservoir of the footmotor hereinafter described.

The trunnion 65 is swivelly coupled with a tube 7l communicating with the main vacuum chamber 3G located in the action chest 20, while the opposite trunniou (36 is connected by tubing 72 with the spool-motor located in the casing 54.

.The bearings G4 of the brackets 63 have forwardly projecting and apertnred lugs 7 3, in which is rotatably mounted a rocking bar 74 around one end of which vis wound a tension spring 75.

A latch 7 (i having a linger-operating piece 77 is tixedly secured to the rocking-bar 74 and is adapted to engage automatically with either of two holes 7S and 79 formed in vertical alignment in the face of the action-chest supporting bracket G2. Said latch enters the upper hole 7 S when the player attachment is placed in its raised operative position, and enters the lower hole 79 when llO placed in its lowered or inactive position on the piano, thereby automatically locking the player attachment in either ot its set positions.

To the underside or' said tubular bracket 02 there is secured a spring-actuated latch adapted to take into a hasp 81 secured to the underside oi" the keyboard when the player attachment is placed in its inactive position, as illustrated by broken lines in VFigures 2 and e, and thereby prevent accidental displacement oi" said attachment.

The toet-motor 72 comprised in the invention is fitted by means of brackets 82 within the lower front portion oif the piano case without necessitating structural alteration thereto. To this end there are provided a vacuum reservoir 83 and a pair oit exhauster bellows Elf-ft, the latter being arranged on opposite sides of said vacuum reservoir.

rlhe stationary back members et the vaeuum reservoir 83 and the exhauster bellows 81- are rigidly secured to top and bottom supporting rails 85 and 86.

A longitudinal channel 87 is ttor-med in the top supporting rail and is in communication with the interior ot the vacuum reservoir 83 by the port 8S and with the interior ol the exhauster bellows 84; by the ports 89, the latter being litted with non-return valves oit approved design.

The movable member et the vacuum reservoir 83 is designed to operate radially 'from its hinged upper end in an up and down direction while the movable members ot the exhauster bellows Se are so designed and hinged ito the stationary members that they operate in a horizontal plane. These movable members are furnished with air outlet ports 90 titted with non-return valves oi approved design.

Pipes 91 are Fitted to the top supporting rail 85 and lead to the channel 87. These vpipes receive the ends of the tubular connections '70 which communicate with the passages 07 and 08 of the bracket 62 supporting the action-chest 20.

The construction of the toot-motor described is compact enabling it to be fitted readily within the case o'f any standard sir/.ed piano.

AA metal cheek-plate 91 is secured to the movable member ott each exhauster vbellows Sliand it has at its lower end an apertured clamping lug 92.

Rigidly connected to the back stationary member ot each exhauster bellows S4; is an inwardly projecting arm 93, while similarly shaped arms 94 extend inwardly from the cheek-plates 91. A bow-shaped spring 95 is arranged between said arms 93 and 94, the lower end oit the spring members being detachably fastened to said arms. The purpose of these springs 95 is to produce the return motion ot the exhauster bellows 84 Ytollowing the opening' of the same, and also to produce the return stroke oit the pedals by the transmission oit motion thereto through vertical spindles 90, crank-levers 97 and push-rods 109.

Return-motion springs 9S are also employed to control the actions ot' the movable member oit the vacuum reservoir 83.

The vertical spindles 96 are securely retained in the lugs 92 lormed on the checkplates 91 by means of clamping bolts 99. Each of said spindles 9G engages with a pair et horizontally arranged disc rollers 100 loosely fitted in a semi-circular race 101 formed in a housing 102 which latter is scoured by screws to the floor olf the piano case. The function of these rollers is to provide a thrust-bearing ttor said spindle and to prevent any oscillatory movement thereof when the pedals are in action. Stop pins 103 are fitted into said housing to prevent dislodgment olf said rollers trom the race 101.

The crank-levers 97 are lixedly secured to `the lower ends oit the vertical spindles 9b by means of set-screws 10-1. The upper end ot each vertical spindle is formed with a gap 105. An adjusting screw 100 is iitted to the, clamping lug 92 and projects within said gap a required distance to permit the vertical spindle to be partially rotated in order to adjust the setting oi? the crank-lever 97, to obtain required pedal elliciency, and the clamping bolt 99 is then tightened to lock the spindle in its adjusted position.

'Cach crank-lever 97 has a. V-shaped slot or bifurcation. 107 (Fig. 8) in .its lree end which receives the curved end 108 ot the push-rod 109 hingedly connected at 110 to the pedal 111. A. coiled spring 112 serves to maintain the end of said push-rod in engagement with said V-shaped slot.

The pedals 111 are hingedly mounted upon pintles 118 which project laterally from a. U-shaped supporting frame 1111, the side members of which are hingedly connected to brackets 115 which are tixedly mounted on the lower front portion et the piano case. The pedal supporting iframe 111 is 'formed with feet 11G which are shed with pads 117 ot rubber or likel resilient material.

By reason ot the resilient engagement of the ends ol? the push-rods 109 with the slotted ends of the crank levers 97, a pivotal driving engagement is maintained, while permitting the pedal supporting frame, pedals and pushrods to be folded upwards closely against the tace ot the piano case, in which position they are retained by their own weight.

A player attachment according to the invention and titted to an ordinary piano as sumes the position illustrated by broken lines in Figure 2, the action chest 20 being located under the keyboard and the pedals 111 folded against the 'front ot the instrument case, when the piano may be.V manually operated in the usual manner.

In order tov place the player attachment Ainto'its operative playing position, the. latch 80 is released from the hasp 8l' and the tubular curved bracket @supporting the action chest 2() with attached spool-'box '53, motor casing 5i and contained 5mechanisms is swung radially until said action chest ispositioned directly above-the keyboard, when it is automatically locked in position by the entrance of the latch 76 into the upper hole 78 formedr in said bracket' 62. The pedal mechanism is unfolded until the padsll rest firmly upon the floor.

Pedal action bythe/operator'actuates the foot-motor, the 'eXhauster bellows /84 of which create'and maintain a vacuum in the vacuum chamber`36 in the action chest. 20 through the flexibleti'ibular connect-ions 70 in communication' 'with the 'passage 67 formed in` the curved bracket 62. The same pedalling action operates the spool propelling motor inthe casing 54 by 'means ofthe f connections from the vfoot-motor through the passage 68 in said bracket 59 and communicating trunnion passage 66.

` What we do claim is l. in piano playerapparatus, a chest having a vacuum chamber, a series' of operating pneumaticscorresponding in number to the keys of the keyboard of a piano, said pneumatics being connected to the vacuum chamber and arrangedin a' single longitudinal 'row in parallel relation; and means to support the chest upon the piano casing with the pneumaticsl above'the pianokeys.

2. ln piano player'apparatus, a chest having a vacuum chamber; a series oil operating pneumatics corresponding innumber tothe keys of the keyboard'of a piano connected to the vacuum chamber and arranged in a single longitudinal row in parallel relation, each pneumatic comprising a fixed plate, floating plates arranged parallel above the fixed plate and a flexible envelope for the plates; means to support the chest upon a piano case with the pneumatics above the keys; and strikers connected to the movable plates of the pneumatics.

3. In piano-player apparatus, an-action chest and a bracket for pivotally supporting said action chest, said bracket having tubular trunnions projecting through opposite sides adjacent opposite ends thereof. and having tubular passages each in communication with a pair of said trunnions.

4i. In piano-player apparat-us, an action chest: a main vacuum chamber, operating pneumatics and control valves in said chest: a spool-box and spool-motor mounted on said chest, a supporting bracket for said chest.v tubular trunnions on opposite sides of and at the upper and lower ends of said bracket, bearings secured to the piano case pivotally receiving said lower trunnions,"bearings on said action chest receiving said upper trunnions, tubular passages in said bracket each communicating with' one upper and one lower of said trunnions, connections from said upper trunnions tothe main vacuum chamber and to the spool-motor, and exhaust means for Aconnection with said lower trunnions to a foot-motor.

5. In piano-player apparatus, an action chest fitted with a main vacuum chamber, operating pneumatics having valve controlled connections with the vacuum chamber,'keystrikers fixed to said pneumatics, spool and spool-propelling mechanisms mounted on said chest, exhaust 'means including a vacuum reservoir and exhauster bellows, folding pedal mechanism o peratively connected to said exhauster bellows, a `supporting bracket for saidv chest, tubular trunnions on opposite sides of and at the upper and lower ends of said bracket, bearings secured to the piano case pivotally receiving said lower trunnions, bearings on said action-chest receiving said upper trunnions, tubular passages in said bracket each communicating with one upper and one lower of said trunnions, connections from said upper trunnions to vthe main vacuum chamber and to the spool-motor, connections from said lower trunnions with the exhaust means, and means for locking'said actionchest inits operative' position directly above the keyboard, and in its inactive position beneath said keyboard.

6. in piano-player apparatus, an actionchest carrying a main vacuum chamber, op-

yerating-pneumatics, control valves for said pneumatics and key-strikers actuated by said pneumatics: a spool-'box and motor-casingl surmounted on 'said action-chest, a curved or bent bracket operatively supporting said chest directly above the piano keyboard, bearings fitted to said chest pivotally receiving-the upper end of said bracket, means on said bearings rotatably supporting a rocking lever, a tension spring on said lever, bearings fitted to the piano case beneath the keyboard pivotally receiving the lower end of said curved bracket and a latch on said lever forming a locking engagement with said curved bracket when said action-chest is placed either into its operative or into its inactive position.

7. In piano-player apparatus, a foot-motor comprising, a vacuum reservoir, a pair of exhauster bellows, means for the fixture of the stationary members of said reservoir and said bellows, arms on said stationary members, means whereby the hinged movable member of said reservoir operates in an up and down direction and the hinged movable members of said eXhauster bellows operate in a horizontal plane, cheek-plates fitted to the movable members of said exhauster bellows, arms on said cheek-plates, ret-urnmotion springs iitted between each set of arms of said exhauster bellows, and return-motion springs controlling the motions of said reservoir.

8. In piano-player apparatus having a main vacuum chamber and spool-motor mechanism, a vfoot-motor comprising, top and bottom supporting rails, a vacuum reservoir, and a pair of exhauster bellows having their rear membersailixed to said rails, a channel in the top rail communicating with said reservoir by means of a port and in communication with said exhauster bellows by means of ports, non-return valves fitted to the latter ports, pipes fitted to said rail and communicating with said channel, tubular connections from said pipes to the main vacuum chamber and spool propelling motor, and return motion springs fitted to said reservoir and to said exhauster bellows.

9. In piano player apparatus, the combination with vacuum creating means, of a series of pneumatics arranged in a longitudinal row in parallel relation and having key strikers connected thereto, and means to connect. said pneumatics with the vacuum creating means and adjustably support the same to extend above the keyboard of the piano and to be swung to position below the keyboard.

10. In piano player apparatus, the combination with vacuum creating means, of a series of key striker actuating pneumatics, and means to connect said pneumatics with the vacuum creating means and support the pneumatics to be adjusted to position to extend above thevkeyboard of the piano or to position below the keyboard.

ll. In piano player apparatus, the combination with vacuum creating means, of a chest having a vacuum chamber; a series of key strikers actuating pneumatics mounted upon said chest in communication with the vacuum chamber and to extend laterally of the chest.; and a bracket to support the chest to have adjustment to position with the pneumatics extending longitudinally above the keyboard oi a piano and adjusted to position below the keyboard and to connect the vacuum chamber with the vacuum creating means.

12. In piano player apparatus, the combination with vacuum creating means, of a chest having a vacuum chamber; a spool and spool motor carrying box mounted upon the chest; a series of key striker pneumatics mounted upon the chest to extend laterally thereof and in communication with the vacuum chamber; a pivotally supported bracket pivotally connected to the chest, said bracket having a pair of chambers both of which are connected to the vacuum creating .means with one chamber connected to the spool motor and the other to the vacuum chamber, said bracket being adjustable to support the chest in position with the pneumatics above the keyboard and in position below the keyboard; and means to releasably retain the bracket and chest in either of said positions.

13. In piano player apparatus, a chest having a vacuum chamber arranged for counection to vacuum creating means; control valve casing mounted on said chest in communication with the vacuum chamber; pneumatics carried by said casings in a long.YA tudinal row in parallel relation to each other; a spool box and spool motor mounted on said chest, said chest with the spool box and motor and valve casings with the connected pneumatics mounted thereon being constructed and arranged as a unit.

In testimony whereof we aHix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

HENRY THOMSON. IVILLIAM R. OYSTONA Witnesses M. STARPEL, R. BoULToN. 

